SEAGuide
The Best Happy Hours Downtown
No, you don’t have to go to Yard House. Here are nine great Downtown Happy Hours worth your time and money.
The workweek can be tough when you’re focusing most of your energy on getting enough done to not get fired—or at the very least, looking like you’re doing something productive. But for the times when you’ve officially run out of tasks or decided to neglect them altogether, it’s time to barrel-roll on out of there and head to the nearest drinking facility. Happy Hour is a civil right. And we’re here to help exercise that right. This is your back-pocket guide to the best Happy Hours Downtown. Get planning.
THE SPOTS
When: Monday through Friday, 4-5pm
The Deal: Inquire when you get there
This all-day restaurant on the ground floor of The State hotel serves such great food that you’d want to eat here even if you weren’t reluctantly sharing a deluxe queen room with your parents upstairs. Stop by the big marble bar for a cocktail and a plate of truffle fries.
When: Monday through Friday, 3-6pm
The Deal: $10 cocktails, $5 no proof cocktails, $8 glasses of wine, $7 draft beer, $16 select pasta dishes
If you’re planning a special occasion Happy Hour with a bunch of nicely-dressed coworkers, Cortina is a great place do it. The homemade pastas are solid—you'll find things like garganelli with peas and prosciutto or spicy squid ink spaghetti with lobster.
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When: Daily, 3-6pm
The Deal: $10.50 champagne mango margaritas, $7, Backwoods Lagers, $10.50 salish smuggler cocktails, $8 glasses of wine, $6 martinis
Happy Hour at Von’s is like a dream sequence of what your thirsty 20 year-old self imagined Happy Hour to be. Whether you’re here for discounted sourdough mac and cheese or the wheel the bartenders spin that reveals new drink specials, you’re in very good hands when partying at Von’s. (Unlike the mac and cheese, the wheel is not edible.)
When: Monday through Friday, 3-6pm
The Deal: $2 off frozen cocktails, $2 off house cocktails, $2 off glasses of wine, $1 off draft beer and cider
Mr. West is the sister spot to Bottlehouse, our favorite wine bar in the city. So, you know that the drinks (and the cheese selection) are going to be excellent under this roof. It’s the perfect place to sip a prosecco cocktail, admire some decorative plants, eat some burrata, and try to have a conversation with your friends, who are probably paying more attention to the marcona almonds you should order.
When: Daily, 4-6pm and 10pm-2am, all day Sunday
The Deal: $4 sherries, $4 draught beer and cider, $6 shot and a beer, $2 off tins
Sometimes, Happy Hour is a great time to reflect on the day’s successes with your coworkers over pints. Other times, it’s a great opportunity to be totally alone with some alcohol and nobody else. JarrBar is a fantastic place for the latter, and is where you should also be snacking on little things like salmon rillettes and sardine tins.
When: Tuesday through Friday, 5-6pm
The Deal: $3 off house cocktails, $2 off glasses of wine, $5 draft beer, $11 martinis, Manhattans, and Old Fashioneds, discounted small plates
If you’re planning an early-in-the-game date, Happy Hour is a good excuse to leave work early and spend less money on someone you might never see again. ZigZag is a romantic little spot that works regardless of where you’re at in your relationship.
When: Daily, 4-6pm
The Deal: Inquire when you get there
Maybe you took the day off entirely and are entertaining some people from out of town. Radiator Whiskey is a great Happy Hour spot not only because the bourbon cocktails are outstanding, but also because you can get the tater tots with gravy and a fried egg for $5.
When: Every day, open-5:30pm, 9:30pm-close
The Deal: $7 glasses of wine, $8 select craft cocktails, $5 sake
Japonessa has Happy Hour for the majority of their operating hours. There are plenty of tasty sushi specials to choose from if you’re trying to have a full dinner, but if you just want to drink, $5 sake is a good deal in our book. Pair it with some brie tempura.
When: Every day, open-6pm
The Deal: $4.50 beers, $4.75 well drinks, $5 glasses of wine
To get to The Alibi Room you have to venture inside Post Alley, where hundreds of people stick their used chewing gum on a brick wall for no reason—but the drinks here (and the spicy mac and cheese) are worth it. You can pretty much order any well drink you want, but we suggest going for something signature, like their rosemary brown sugar sazerac. Plus, you can get mini versions of their pizzas for half-price during Happy Hour.
